“I will say this simply: We cannot ask our farmers in Europe to change their practices, to not use certain products, and to develop quality farming while, at the same time, opening our markets to massive imports,” Macron told reporters on Sunday in Buenos Aires after meeting with Argentinian President Javier Milei.
But this new wave of protests isn’t just about the Mercosur deal, said Cyrille Milard, a cereal farmer and FNSEA member.
“For the past two years, we’ve been told we’re a crucial part of this country and promised help and deregulation, which we haven’t seen yet,” Milard said. “We’re expected to deliver quality produce and keep our rural territories alive — we need the right conditions to achieve that.”
Earlier this year, the FNSEA — which for decades worked hand-in-hand with the state to shape French agricultural policy — saw its influence challenged like never before by grassroots protests and blockades. Those spontaneous movements also boosted more radical unions, including the Coordination Rurale, which has been linked to the far right, and the left-wing, anti-free trade Confédération Paysanne.
This time, the FNSEA seems determined not to let things slip out of its control, ensuring protest methods don’t alienate the widespread popular support the sector enjoys.
The goal of this week’s protests, according to FNSEA head Arnaud Rousseau, isn’t to “disturb” the French population but to “get the message across that the situation facing agriculture today is urgent.”
In an interview with French broadcaster BFMTV on Sunday, Rousseau said the protests would likely be suspended in December to allow producers to focus on holiday-season sales — but warned that a new wave of demonstrations could begin early next year depending on the situation.
